What We Want to Know
by OhSnapItsMadison
Summary: The sequel to Nobody Exactly Knows. What did people think when they saw Lord Voldemort at the Ministry?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Harry Potter.**

**What We Want to Know**

**Chapter One:**

He sat in a chair behind his wooden desk, with his head in his hands. His bowler hat was hanging on the coatrack next to his office door; he wore it because he has recently been going bald as he aged. He didn't like that.

What was he going to do? Now that the whole Wizard World knows the truth… He would have to resign. Yes, he would.

Cornelius Fudge knew that his term was almost up, in fact it was done next year. Still, he _had _to resign now. He did not want to be seen as a liar, or manipulative… But he knew that the public would see him as that now, considering the recent events…

Last night, he saw _him_. He saw You-Know-Who. His nose was nonexistent, and his eyes were a bright, evil red. It made him want to cower down and roll into a ball in the fetal position in fear. But he couldn't do that no, not in front of the whole Ministry… it would not be good for his image. Yet, his imaged was already ruined…

He would have to alert Weatherby- wait, no, Weasley- that he was going to be resigning. Yes, yes, he would have to do that…

Fudge would not be able to continue with his political career. No, in fact he would not.

Thankfully, at that moment, Percy Weasley hurried into his boss's office and brought him out of his miserable thoughts. He slammed a file down on the edge of his desk, and asked him, "So, You-Know-Who really _is_ back?"

"Well, as you saw last night, Percy, he is in fact back." He sighed.

His assistant frowned, and muttered in a low, angry voice, "So you have been lying to me this whole time?"

"It seems so. I have. Not just to you, Percy, but to the whole Wizard World."

"I guess that my eldest brother, Bill, was right. We should have elected that American woman running for Minister a few years back."

"Yes, well, that would not happen. I mean, she was a woman after all."

Percy was going to say something, about how his younger sister would punch him for being so sexist, but he decided not to.

"Why did you hire me, then?"

"Due to your family."

"Well, Minister, I quit. Have a good day, have a good life, I will be cleaning out my office now." He then left and slammed the door, making Fudge wince at the noise.

_"Its true- you should not get a redhead mad…"_ he thought to himself.

What was going to happen now? He should have listened to Dumbledore… That man was always right in the end…

But the thing was, Fudge _did_ believe that You-Know-Who was back… he just did not want to ruin his political image.

To him, his political image mattered more than his family.

Yes, he, Cornelius Fudge was the most selfish man on Earth.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, okay, as you all should know by now, I do not own Harry Potter. I wish I did, though.**

**What We Want to Know**

**Chapter Two:**

Percy Weasley was beyond furious. If possible, he was angry, depressed, and relieved at all the same time. He sort of felt like he was going to explode with all of these feelings bottled up inside of him. This was took many feelings for him, or for any human being, to feel all at once. He should have blown up into little tiny pieces, but he did not. It was weird.

After he had yelled that he would be quitting, he went down to his office, anger quite visible in his brown eyes, and sat at his desk. He would have to start packing soon.

He realized that he really should have stayed with his family.

_"You can't,"_ he thought to himself. _"Give up on family. It'll make you defenseless."_

And he was quite right. Percy began to pack all of his belongings into some cardboard boxes. The final thing that he put into the box (it had an expansion charm) was a picture.

The picture was from about three years ago. It had him, his parents, and all of his siblings in it. They had been in Egypt at the time. It had been sitting on his desk ever since he had begun working here.

One problem he would have with his resignation was leaving Audrey.

Audrey, oh, she was amazing. Percy loved her, he knew it- he had been on many dates with her. She was his girlfriend. She worked in the Department of Transportation. She worked in the Apparition Test Centre.

Percy loved her long, silky brunette hair, and enjoyed getting lost into those crystal-blue eyes… Audrey, in his opinion, was beautiful. Not only in the appearance was department, but she was also beautiful in the personality department.

He just hoped that when he told her that he had quit, she would keep her job. He didn't want her to quit just because he did. He wasn't worth that.

He grabbed the brown, cardboard box and apparated home. By home, he did not mean the Burrow. No, he meant his flat. Percy dearly wished that he could go to his childhood home. But would his family accept him back? He had practically disowned himself from his very own family…

Percy was disgusted with himself for that.

Once he had gotten home, he sat down on his bed, head in his hands.

"You-Know-Who is back… Harry was not lying…" he said to himself.

Percy lay down on his bed with his work clothes still on. He didn't bother to take off his shoes. Nor did he bother to cover himself up with the covers of the bed. He just couldn't do it, and he didn't exactly know why.

Tears raced down Percy's freckled cheeks all of a sudden.

"I love them. I hope my family knows that." He managed to choke out, his eyes all red and puffy, and tears racing down, a few reaching into his mouth. Percy's horn-rimmed glasses would need to be cleaned.

"I love them."


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Harry Potter. **

**What We Want to Know**

**Chapter Three:**

She hated- no, she loathed him. She loathed that Potter brat. She wanted him dead. Yes, Dolores Jane Umbridge wanted him dead. He _did_ send her out to the Forbidden Forest and practically handed her over to those centaurs…

Umbridge shuddered in disgust at the word centaurs. They were filthy half breeds, for crying out loud! Who could _not_ hate them? Well, she knew one person at the top of her head. His name was Rubeus Hagrid. He was a half breed himself, after all.

By the time she had managed to get herself out of the dreadful forest, she changed into another ugly pink ruffled sweater-dress and went to the Ministry of Magic to report her findings of that school.

And, to say at the least, it was _not _good. She did not realize how horrible Hogwarts had become after she had left it. Ah, those were the good old days. She was a Slytherin, and she was proud. She could see it within herself, and even with Albus Dumbledore as Headmaster then, she still hated his guts. What was there to _not_ hate?

He and that Potter brat were liars- filthy liars, believing that You-Know-Who was back. Ha! As if that was possible!

However, Dolores found out the hard way- she found out the truth once she went to the Ministry. And she did not like the truth, I will tell you that.

When she apparated to her office, she marched straight down to Fudge's office. On the way, she saw vendors trying to sell her _"The Daily Prophet"_. Upon the front page was a picture of Albus Dumbledore with his arm around Harry Potter in a comforting manner. Harry looked all beat up, and looked like he had just seen death at its work. The title read, _"YOU-KNOW-WHO RETURNS"._

Dolores would only believe that _he_ was back if Cornelius Fudge said that he was. Surely, though, he would tell her that these little scumbag vendors were just looking for attention. They knew themselves that the dark wizard was not back. People just can't return from the dead! Everybody knew that, it was the most common fact ever!

Even muggles- Umbridge shuddered in disgust at the word- knew that!

Soon enough, she reached the Minister's office. In rage, she slammed open the door to his office.

"Merlin, what is it with everybody slamming my door today!?" the familiar voice of Fudge questioned.

"Minister," Dolores began in her sickly sweet tone. "People are saying that You-Know-Who is back. Surely this is not true?"

The Minister- who, not known to Dolores, was going to resign- sighed. He shook his bald head, and said in tired voice, "I'm afraid, Dolores, that he is back."

"And your proof?"

"I myself saw him with my own eyes- so did most people in the Ministry- very early this morning. He _is_ back."

"Well, I have never thought of you disagreeing with me!"

"He is back, Dolores!"

"Fine, so he is! What should we do, then?"

"Well, until there is a new Minister of Magic, I do not know." Fudge sighed.

"W-what do you mean?" her sickly voice stuttered.

"It means, Dolores," Fudge began. "That I am resigning. People will not trust me, and since Dumbledore _and_ Potter are right, there surely will be this whole political issue that I do not want to deal with."

"So? It's politics! You've dealt with it for your whole Ministry career!"

"Yes, well… I wonder if the politics are better in the United States of America. Maybe I should contact the president of their Ministry of Magic to find out…" he thought out loud.

"Anyway! Potter and Dumbledore? Nobody will believe a fifteen year old and a senile old man!"

"You'd be surprised, Dolores. Besides, Percy Weasley has just quit a few hours ago. And, pardon my question, but what happened to your face?"

"Centaurs! Now, on to the important topic at hand!" Dolores screeched, her sickly smile no longer on her face.

"What is the important topic? Just find a minister to take over. It's simple!"

"And who, exactly, should I find?"

"I don't know! Kingsley Shacklebolt? Rufus Scrimiedore?"

"Ugh!" she exclaimed.

Again, much like when she came in, she slammed the door as she left. As she traveled down back to her office, an evil thought wandered into her mind:

"Well… Since You-Know-Who _is_ back… It's time to have the Muggleborn Registration Commission back up and running again…"


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Harry Potter.**

**CHAPTER IS RATED M. **

**What We Want to Know**

**Chapter Four:**

He sat on his bed in the Hufflepuff dormitory. Though he was not at the Ministry last night, he was still part of the D.A. Yes, _he_ was part of Dumbledore's Army. Quite reluctantly, though.

Zacharias Smith, in the beginning, did not really believe that You-Know-Who was back. All that he had known at the time was that Dumbledore had said that he was back. He said that when Harry Potter appeared out of the maze in the Triwizard Tournament with a dead body.

With Cedric Diggory.

Now, Zacharias would not admit this to anyone: he was in love with Cedric. And Cedric was in love with him. He had told him the day before he went into the retched maze. Cedric had kissed him.

Zacharias would forever remember the softness of his lips as they kissed his. Cedric had led him to the Room of Requirement, where he had told him that he loved him. That was where they had kissed.

Zacharias was proud to say, though, that he and Cedric Diggory had fun that night. So much fun… He remembered the details so, so well…

Oh, the moans, groans, tastes, bites, and galore… Zacharias thought that the best part, however, was when the erections started to come… Zacharias had sucked on Cedric's erection, and adored the taste… Cedric had sucked on his too. It was so much fun.

They had fought each other for dominance like two men trying to win over the affection of female after six games of bingo… The two had groaned and whispered naught things to each other all night.

_**FLASHBACK:**_

_"Oh, Ced…" he huskily whispered into his ear. "Let me feel you… let me taste you…"_

_"If you let me do the exact same to you… oh… right there… yes…"_

_It was salty, he decided, it was sweet. Cedric had placed his in his mouth, and Zacharias did the same to him. The moans just made the two hungrier for each other._

_They did it fast, and they did it all night. It was… amazing…_

**_END OF FLASHBACK:_**

He didn't understand how they could do this.

All Zacharias really knew, though, was that Cedric was dead. He was murdered by You-Know-Who.

And now, with the _Daily Prophet_ suddenly deciding to reveal the truth? The truth that You-Know-Who was in fact alive?

He wanted to give the killer a piece of his mind. But, he was a coward. Too much of a coward! He was scared of Ron Weasley! Ron Weasley, though, in fact could be scary at times… He was scared of Draco Malfoy.

Well, what did he expect? How can you not be scared of a soon to be sixth year Slytherin who spends his free time terrorizing poor little first years, muggleborns, and blood traitors? Plus, Malfoy was from a family of Death Eaters. His aunt was Bellatrix Lestrange! His father was Lucius Malfoy!

And, Zacharias would bet all of his spending money for Hogsmede visits that he was related to You-Know-Who. You'd probably find out if he was if you traced the family tree back far enough.

Zacharias sighed as he got up from the bed. He would have to admit that he was wrong, and that You-Know-Who really was back.

You see, he refused to believe of his return in the beginning of the school year because he didn't want to believe that his lover was dead.

Over time, though, he did. It was by Christmas, when all of those Death Eaters broke loose from Azkaban.

So, he finally believed it. Zacharias Smith could now finally accept that his lover was dead.

But now, he could also accept that You-Know-Who was back.

And he wanted to fight.


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**What We Want to Know**

**Chapter Five:**

She sat in the chair at her desk in her office at her very expensive house, drinking a cup of tea. The teacup was a very girly pink color (it was actually the most obnoxious color in the whole world, but to her it was… marvelous.), and she drank it with her pinky sticking up. All in all, she drank her cup of tea at nearly six in the morning like she was the Queen of England. Which, in fact, she was not.

It seemed, however, she enjoyed thinking that she was in fact her. Ah, how it was a glorious dream…

Today she was wearing a silky, bright, neon dress. It had the pattern of snake skin, and it was her favorite dress that she owned. Upon her feet were snake skin platform-heels, and she wore hideous pink pearls for earrings. She wore pink, old lady-looking glasses on her face to help her see. The rings on her hands were rather large; she lacked a ring on her ring finger on her left hand.

She was actually quite oblivious to the fact that there was a reason that she lacked a ring on it. It was due to the fact that no man liked her.

This lady was named Rita Skeeter.

She was a journalist for the _Daily Prophet_, and she often wrote lies about people. Her favorite person to write lies about?

Harry James Potter.

Fumbling through the mahogany drawer on her mahogany desk, she finally found what she was looking for: a _Quick-Quotes Quill_. She smiled and pulled out a roll of fresh, newly bought parchment from her desk.

"Ah… here it is!" she said as she grabbed the _Daily Prophet_ that had arrived a few days ago.

The news had just broken out to the public in that issue of the paper. You-Know-Who was in fact back. And, Rita, forever the gossiping journalist, had one to write at the very moment…

**_HARRY POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE?_**

_Rumours continue to fly about the mysterious re-cent disturbance at the Ministry of Magic, during which He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was sighted once more. "We're not allowed to talk about it, don't ask me anything," said one agitated Obliviator, who re-fused to give his name as he left the Ministry last night. Nevertheless, highly placed sources within the Ministry have confirmed that the disturbance centered on the fabled Hall of Prophecy. Though Ministry spokeswizards have hitherto refused even to confirm the existence of such a place, a growing number of the Wizarding community believe that the Death Eaters now serving sentences in Azkaban for trespass and attempted theft were attempting to steal a prophecy. The nature of that prophecy is unknown, although speculation is rife that it concerns Harry Potter, the only person ever known to have survived the Killing Curse, and who is also known to have been at the Ministry on the night in question. Some are going so far as to call Potter "the Chosen One," believing that the prophecy names him as the only one who will be able to rid us of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The current whereabouts of the prophecy, if it exists, are unknown, although (ctd. page 2, column 5)._

Yes… She had her article.

Now, she just had to get it published, and slowly, step-by-step, make Harry Potter's life crumble.


End file.
